Defence Minister, assistant notch up 14 RAAF-operated, taxpayer-funded flights at $76,000 each in three months

Defence Minister David Johnston and Assistant Defence Minister Stuart Robert oversee the Royal Australian Air Force as part of their portfolio responsibilities and they appear to have become enthusiastic fans of its airborne service.

Between them, they notched up 14 RAAF-operated but taxpayer-funded "special purpose" flights in the first three months of the Abbott government .

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The 14 flights were all on routes between major capitals where commercial alternatives are available, operated by Qantas and Virgin.

Department of Finance rules around the use of ‘‘special purpose’’ government-funded, Royal Australian Air Force-operated flights say they are not to be used as a first choice of travel.

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‘‘When considering tasks for Special Purpose Aircraft, the approving authorities will take into account: a) the availability of flights on major domestic airlines,’’ the entitlements guidelines state.

The schedule of special purpose flights, tabled in Parliament every six months, shows the Defence Minister and his assistant flew largely between Canberra and major capitals including Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane.

Senator Johnston also ferried Western Australian-based colleagues between Perth and Canberra - a practice pioneered by the previous Labor government and another former defence minister Stephen Smith.

On occasions the RAAF jet has flown empty to pick up ministers, known as "ghost flights".

A spokeswoman for Senator Johnston said there was only one direct commercial flight between Perth and Canberra a day.

"Every special purpose flight is within the guidelines. These flights have been running under successive governments since the 1950s," she said.

"We get requests from other [West Australian-based] ministers [to use the aircraft] but again they are only ever approved subject to the guidelines."